Driving mechanism for automobiles and the like.



W. N. ALLAN.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. I913. LWQUW. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET I.

Zziz'weais as X W. N. ALLAN.

DRWING MECHANISM F0 APPLICATION t m wmt a DL H D Wt. 9 [L mwm W. N. ALLAN.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 191a.

1,160,032. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

W. N. ALLAN. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1913- LEQU3Q,

W. N. ALLAN. ECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1913.

DRIVING M Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

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WILLIAM v.

ALLAN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

DRIVING- MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent."

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed March 12, 1913. Serial No. 753,838.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM N. ALLAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Automobiles and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile driving mechanism, and the primary object of the same is to dispense with the usual form of transmission gearing and difierential and to replace these latter mechanisms by power devices relatively coacting through the medium of a' liquid of any character, preferably oil, maintained at a predetermined volume within the several parts and completely filling the chambers of the mechanisms replacing the usual transmission gearing and differential as well as conveying means between the'replacing parts or traveling over curves or other places.

organizations so that the least modification or change of pressure at one point will be instantly applied through the transmission of the column or quantity of oil with relation to the remaining part or parts without the least lost motion or variation in the power applied to the respective parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide substitute mechanisms or organizations for the'usual transmission gearing and differential having a noiseless operation and under complete control of the chauffeur or driver of the vehicle or automobile as to stopping and starting operations, the sul stitute organization for the transmission gearing being directly connected to the mo tor shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide substitute organizations for the usual transmission gearing and differential.

having conveying or pipe connecting means and controlled as to transmission of motion or p wer from one organization to the other by a predetermined quantity of oil which may be properly termed av static column which is automatically maintained at a uniform pressure, the substitute organization being readily capable of reverse movement and the differential so arranged as to accommodate the variation of speed on the two sides of the machine when turning in-either direction, or when the one rear wheel, for instance, moves faster than the other in around corners or The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed in preferred form and subject to,

such modificaitons and variations as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the running embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken in the plane of the line 2+2, F ig, 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the neutral valve. Fig. 5 is z transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 55, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section taken in the plane of the line 66, Fig. 1. .Fig. 7 is a section taken in the plane of the line 7-7, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of the pressure regulator shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 9 is an end elevagear of an automobile tion, partially in section of the regulator shown by Fig. 8.

The chassis 5 may be of any preferred form and embodies cross-braces 6, 7 and 8 which serve as supports for the mechanism which will be hereinafter explained. In the front portion of the chassis the usual form of motor 9 is mounted and has a rearwardly projecting shaft 10. In the rear part of the chassis the usual shaft or axle is mounted in suitable bearings and in the present instance comprises two pairs 11 and 12 in longitudinal alinement and respectively having thereon the drive wheels 13 and 14.

A secondary power generator or circulator 15 is mounted between the cross-braces or supports Sand 7 in the center of the chassis and rests upon a pair of longitudinal frame bars 16 secured to the braces or' supports 6, 7 and 8. This secondary power generator o'r circ'ulator 15 is shown "on an enlarged scale in section by Figs. 2 and 3 and comprises a surrounding or inclosing casing 17 with a sliding block or pump element 18 mounted therein and actuated at the will of the chauffeur or driver by a pull-rod or connecting element 19 secured to the center thereof and extending through a gland 20 in one end of the casing 17 to means on one side of' the chassis which will be presently explained. The block or pump element 18 is of materially less dimensions in one direction or is of less length than the in tenor of the casing lZ so that the said block pockets or slots block or element 18 is formed with a cylindrical chamber 21 having a cylindrical rotor eccentrically mounted therein and provided with a plurality of extensible blades or vanes 23 which are equipped with rollers24 at opposite sides engaging cam grooves 25 in the end Walls 26 of the block or element 18, the said cam grooves 25 being concentric with relation to the chamber 21 but eccentrio relatively to the rotor 22. The blades or vanes 23 also have antifrictional rollers 27 mounted on rods 28 extending therethrough to ease the movement thereof in the 29 therefor, and at their outer ends the said blades or vanes are also provided with suitable packing strips 30 which may be of the usual spring-pressed type to set up a tight engagement or joint between the outer ends of the blades or vanes and the portion of the wall of the chamber 21 with which they are adapted to cooperate. The rotor 22 is keyed on the rear projecting portion of the motor or" engine shaft 10 which extends through the casing 17 to the rear side of the latter, as shown by Fig. 3, and also through the block or element 18, the latterhaving horizontally disposed slots 31 in opposite ends thereof or at the front and rear portions to accommodate the shifting movement of the said block or element relatively to the shaft, and by this means the rotor always remains in one position in the casing 17or is not shifted while the block or element 18 is moved to let may become the the casing 17.

with upper and modify the chamber space relatively to either the one side portion or the other side portion of the said rotor in changing. from a forward drive to a reverse drive of the automobile or machine as a whole. The upper part of the block or element 18 is'formed with an inlet 32 and the lower part of said block or element has an outlet 33 or the outinlet' and the inlet the outlet in accordance with the direction of movement of the automobile or machine when the block or element 18 is adjusted or shifted from one position to another within The inlet 32 and outlet 33 communicate or open into diametrically opposite portions of the chamber21 and are also adapted to respectively communicate lower chambers 34 and 35 to. which pipes 36 and 37 are respectively attached and also communicate with and are connected to the upper and lower portions of a neutral valve 38. The neutral valve 38 is interposed between the secondary power generator or circulator l5 and the substitute for the usual differential which is in the form of a fluid operated differential 39. The said neutral valve 38, as shown by Figs. 4 and 5, has an interior partition 40 centrally arranged with relation to an inclosing casing 41, and providing upper and lower chambers 43 and 44, the partition 40 having the operation that may chamber. Both pipes 53 and 54 a plurality of ports 45, 46 and 47 serving to establish communication between said chamhere. A slide. valve 48 is mounted to cooperate with the partition 40 and has ports 49 to coincide with the ports 46 and 47, the inner free end of said valve cooperating with the port 45, whereby all of said ports 45, 46 and 47 may be fully opened or closed or only partially closed in accordance with be desired, said slide valve 48 being of considerable less length than the width of the partition 40 and operative to open communication between or close the chambers 43 and 44 relatively to each other. The slide valve 48 is operated by a rod 50 connected thereto and the latter in turn is actuated by suitable lever mechanism which will be more fully hereinafter explained. The inner end of the rod 50 is attached to the slide valve 48 by a connection 51, as shown by Fig. 5, a suitable stuffing box 52 being applied to the end of the casing 41 where the rod 50 enters to prevent leakage at said point.

A pipe or conduit 53 is connected to the upper portion of the chamber 43 of the neutral valve 38 and a similar pipe or conduit 54 connects with the lower portion of said extend rearwardly and connect with the upper and lower portions of the front of the liquid controlled differential 39 and respectively communicate with divergent inlets 53 of upper and lower chambers 55 and 56 each horizontally separated by a short partition 57 extending rearwardly and carrying a partitional segment 58 which forms the front wall of a cylindrical chamber 59. The chambers 55, 56 and .59 are duplicated in the liquid operated differential 39 on opposite sides of a central transverse partition wall 60 as shown by Fig. 7, and the opposite members 11 and 12 of the axle or shaft for the drive wheels 13 and 14 extend into the differential 39 and terminally have bearing without jolnture to any other part and continues directly to its corresponding drive wheel. The-innerextremities of the shaft or axle sections are tubular, are continued by a loose cylindrical bar or hearing member 62 having a collar '63 fixed centrally thereon and against which the inner opposing ends afthe' shaft or axle sections or memberslland 12 have abutting contact so that the said sections or members may rotate at diiferential rates of speed when the automobile or vehicle is turning either to the right or left and be maintained in proper operative relation. Each section or member 11 and 12 has a rotor 64 keyed thereon and moving in its corresponding as at 61, and

chamber 59, each rotor being provided with 4 to forma tight j olnt or blades or vanes 65 movable in pockets 66 radially disposed therein and equipped with rollers 67 at opposite ends engaging cam grooves 68 and 69 respectively formed in the inner sides of the opposite heads 70 of the differential and the partition 60. The rotors 64 and the cam grooves 68 and 69 have an eccentric relation to one another so that the blades or vanes 65 are alternately projected and retracted. The blades 65 have suitable packing strips 71 at their outer ends engagement with the different portions of the wall of the chambers 59. Each chamber is also provided with an air chamber 72 to take up whatever a ir accumulates in the oil circuit. The sectlons or members 11 and 12 ofthe shaft or.

axle carrying the drive wheels 13 and 14 will .run in suitable antifrictional bearings of dust-proof character applied to opposite ends of the fluid or liquid controlled difierential, as at 73, and also with suitable packing boxes .7 3 outsidethe antifrictional bearings. It will also be understood that the blades or vanes may be equipped with antifrictional devices similar to those embodied in connection with the rotor 22 or any other suitable and well known. wear take up means may be provided in connection with the said blades or vanes.

A pressure attachment .74 cooperates with the secondary power generator or circulator and consists of a cylinder of atively connects with the top of the latter suitable length and capacity as at 75 having therein a piston 76 with a stem 77, a portion of this stem being formed as a ratchet bar 78 movably projecting through rear cap 79 and engaged by opposing locking dogs 80 on the exterior of said cap, the dogs being connected by a spring 81. The stem 77 is surrounded by a spring 82 within the cylindrical casing 75, the said springbearin at opposite extremities against the head 9 and the piston 76, the piston being forced back when the regulator is set to compress the spring and draw a certain amount of air within the cylinder 75 ahead of the piston 76 or to charge the said cylinder 75 with a predetermined amount of air which will be under the feeding influence of the piston 76 which is set to exert and maintain a certain pressure relto the secondary generator or circulator 15. The forward head 83 of the cylinder 75 has a pipe 84 extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the cylinder 75 and also connecting with the upper portion of the secondary generator or circulator 15, as shown by Fig. 1, at 85. It will therefore be seen that the regulation of the pressure in the entire circuit for the circulation of the liquid is effected and auto- 15 and matically controlled through the secondary 7 generator, circulator or pump at a point ad- &

jacent to the rotor 22 so that the blades 23 may instantly pick up the augmentedsupply of liquid and throughout the several parts with material advantage in maintaining uniformity of pressure in all the parts. On the circulator 15 over and communicating with the inlet chamber 34 is an air chamber 86 having the same function as air chamber 72, and the oil is introduced into inlet chamber 34 and the remaining apparatus until all parts are filled, and then, by means of a suitable hand force pump which is connected to chamber 86, more oil is forced into the ap paratus under pressure to set the pressure attachment 74, the piston 76 of the latter being pressed back to set up a desired maximum pressure against the resistance of spring82. The special objectof this pressure attachment is to form pressure in the entire oil circuit to overcome the centrifugal force of the oil or liquid around rotor 22 of the generator or circulator 15 when running at high speed. The oil pr liquid acted on by the spring tension piston 76 will also act as reserve for any leakage of oil in the circuit. The ratcheted stem 77 together with the dogs cooperating'therewith keep the piston 76 from receding when the vehicle or car is reversed, for at that time the pressure is greater on the return side of the oil or liquid circuit.

.The rod 19 is operated by a slide block or plate 87 mounted in suitable guides 88.011 one of the side bars or frame beams of the chassis, the said slide block or plate 87 having a diagonal-slot 89 therein engaged by the outer end ofthe said rod 19. Attached to the rear end of the block or plate 87 is an operating or connecting rod 90 movable in suitable guides and attached at its rear end to a shifting lever 91 cooperating with a toothed segment 92. By moving the rod 90 backwardly and forwardly, the slide block or plate 87 will be correspondingly operated and the rod 19 shifted transversely to dispose the block or element 18 of the secondary generator or circulator 17 in various positions to modify the rate of speed or to reverse the machine. The rod 50 is connected to a bell-crank lever 93, said lever being in turn attached to 94 cooperating with a toothed segment 95. By operating the lever 94 the rod 50 may also be shifted. transversely to secure the desired adjustment or position of the valve 48 in the neutral valve casing 38.

When the automobile or car is standing, the block or element 18 is shifted to a position directly on center relatively to the casing 17 and shaft 10, the lever 91 being then perpendicular. When the block 18 is directly in center of the casing 17 the rotor 22 will be likewise disposed in the center of chamber 21, to equalize the spaces at the opequally distribute the same a shifting lever partsare on center or feet on the rotors 64. Th

if ithas stopped running,

posite portion of the rotor 22 and if the rotor 22 is running there will be no liquid transferred from inlet chamber 34 to the outlet chamber 35 or conversely from the chamber/35 to: the chamber 34,. as all the the oil in the several parts of the apparatus will remain without circulation or be practically inert as the blades 23 of the rotor 22 .will not atsuch time have any circulating action and the liquid or oil will conseqj have no efwill be adjusted to close the-ports 45, 46 and 47 when movement of the vehicle is desired\ either forwardly or rearwardly to set up a distinct communication of the upper and lower chambers 43 and 44 respectively with the pipes 36 and 53 and 37 and 54, but in filling the several parts of the apparatus with liquid or oil the said ports are opened and both chambers 43 and 44 are filled to their full capacity. The slide valve 48 controlling the ports 45, 46 and 47, therefore, operates as an intervening movable partition or septum for separating the liquid or oil in the valve 38. The chambers 43 and 44 have considerable capacity, and the upper pipes 36 and 53 and lower pipes 37 and 54 are practically continued by the chambers 43 and 44 and the latter also serve as intermediate supply means for said pipes, and in view of" the capacity of said chambers diminution of a complete filling of the connecting pipes is obviated and circulation with equal pressure in all the parts is obtained. After the slide valve 48 has been adjusted to close the ports 45, 46 and 47 the apparatus will be in practical condition for circulation of the liquid or oil, and to start the car or automobile, the motor 9, will be first set in motion or if the motor is running and the rotor 22 is in actuation, the lever 91 is moved slightly forward and shifts the block 18 slightly to the left and 0E center. This will cause the formation of a larger sp co" in chamber-'21 on the left side of rotor 22 than ontheright-lside of thelatter and the blades 23 will becaused to carry the llquid'from the inlet chamber 34 to the outlet, chamber 35'and force the same through the pipe "37 to the neutral valve 38v and through the latter to the lower pipe 54 into the lowerchambers 56 of the diiferential in the] direction of the arrow shown by Fig. 6, thereby,- setting up rotation of the rotors 64 and driving the sections or members 11 and 12 of the rear drive axle orshaft. The

' liquid or oil after passing through the chambers 56 andtstrlking the adjacent blades willbe carried around to the upper chambers 55 and through the upper pipe 53' re- I turn to the neutral valve 38 and from the latter pass by pipe 36- to the inlet chamber 34, this circulation being regularly carried depend entirely opposite or oil then being forced the block 18.

on backwardly and forwardly; from the r0 tor 22 to the rotors 64 and again to the rotor 22. The speed of the rotors 64 will on the amount of liquid pumped or circulated rearwardly by the rotor 22, or in other words on this speed will depend the distance the block 18 is off center and will be controlled by the lever 91. A reverse movement of the automobile or car is efiected by moving the block 18 through the actuation of the lever 91 in an direction to that just described, and then the liquid or oil will be caused to circulate through the same pipes 36 and 53 and 37 and 54 in a reverse direction, the liquid rearwardly through the upper chamber 43 of valve 38 and the pipes 36 and 53 and returned forwardly through the lower chamber 44 of said valve and the pipes 37 and 54. The reverse circulation in the differential causes the liquid or oil to first act through the upper chambers 55 and against the adjacent blades 65 of the rotors 64 andthen passes downwardly to and out through the lower chain If the automobile or car is in motion and i it is desired tocoast down hill when the motor or engine 9 should be slowed down or stopped, the slide valve 48 is moved so as to open the ports 45, 46 and 47 [and thereby causes the oil or liquid to circulate mainly from the rotors 64 on the rear axle through the rear portion of chambers 43 and '44 adjacent to the ends of the pipes 53 and 54 respectively opening into said chambers and then back to the said rotors 64 which run without loose as it were on driving pressure from secondary generator, circulator or pump, as it will be understood that when the secondary generator is not operating'or i the rotor 22 is on dead center, no liquid or oil will pass through the chamber 21, but will simply move from the upper to the lower portion of the chamber 21 around the rotor 22. If the secondary generator, circulator or pump 15 has not been stopped when the slide valve 48 is moved to open the ports 45, 46 and 47 the liquid or oil between the said generator and the neutral valve 38 will be short circuited through the portions of the ports 45, 46 and 47 and the chambers 43 and 44 adjacent to the pipes 36 and 37 respectively opening into said chambers. When it is desired vehicle or to setup a full circulation of the liquid or oil, the valve 48 is shifted to close the ports 45, 46 and 47 and if the engine or motor has stopped running it is started or if it is running and the rotor 22 is on dead 1 center, the latter will be shifted slightly to the left, as hereinbefore explained,

through the medium of the lever 91 connecting with As hereinbefore specified, liquid of any characte preferably oil, will 1 ber 56. k I

to again fully start the 11 be maintained at a predetermined volume within the several parts or chambers and conduits of the improved attachments and completely fill thesaid parts, and when found necessary at intervals the liquid or oil may be replenished to maintain the normal volume and pressure desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the organizations used as specified for the usual transmissionv gearing and differential mechanisms are noiseless in their operations and readily controllable to meet the various operating contingencies of automobiles and other analogous vehicles or propelling motor mechanisms. Furthermore, the parts of the improved attachments or the organization as a whole may be readily installed in operative position on the chassis, and the maintenance of these organizations in working order will be economical in view of the fact that the arts are so constructed that they will not ecome readily broken or disorganized or have the numerous disadvan- I tages of gearing or other devices ordinarily used in transmission gearing and differential organizations for automobiles and analogous machines.

What is claimed is:

1. A driving mechanism for an automobile and the like comprising a motor having a shaft, a secondary power generating or circulating organization embodying a shiftable element with a pumping rotor therein mounted on the said shaft which extends through the element and rotor, a rear drive shaft embodying independently rotatable sections provided with rotors, a differential comprising a casing having independent chambers in which the rotors on the drive shaft sections are individually mounted, upper andlower single lines of conduits between and forming the sole conveying connections relatively to the chambers of the differential and the said secondary generator, a neutral valve interposed in the said single lines of conduits between the differential and secondary generator and also embodying upper and lower chambers with ports therebetween controlled by a slidevalve, the generating 0r circulating organization, neutral valve, and chambers of the difierential bein primarily filled to full capacity with a iquid under pressure, the slide valve being operable to regulate the circulation of the liquid under pressure relatively to the secondary power generating or circulating organization and the differential and drive shaft rotors in the latter, the secondary power generating or circulating organization being also operable to reverse the circulation of the liquid under pressure through the same single lines of conduits, and a pressure regulator having attached communication with the upper portion of the said secondary power generwhen necessary,

pressure on the liquid therein greater than the normal. pressure f the liquid in the 'said organization, neutral valve, conduits and chambers of the differential to compensate for and overcome diminution of the liquid in itscirculation relatively to said parts and also overcome the centrifugal force of the oil around the rotor of the secondary power generating or circulatin organization when running at high spee 2. A driving mechanismfor an automobile and the like comprising. a motor having a shaft, ,a secondary power generating or circulating organization embodying'a shiftable element with a pumping rotor therein I mounted on the said motor shaft which eX-. tends through the element and the rotor, a rear drive shaft embodying independently rotatable sections provided with rotors, a difierential comprising a casing having inde: pendent chambers in which the rotors of the 4 drive shaft sections are individually mount, ed, upper and lower single lines of conduits;- connected to the chambers of the differential and also extending to and communicating with the upper and lower portions of the secondary power generator or circulating organization, a neutral valve interposed in the said single lines of conduits between the differential andthe secondary power generating or circulating organization and pro- 10g 'vided with upper and lower chambers and a slide valve controlling communication between the said chambers, the said single lines of conduits being respectively connected to the upper and lower chambers of the neutral valve and the latter together with the secondary power generating or circulating organization, conduits and chambersof the differential being completely filled with a liquid under pressure, the slide valve whenv o opened short-circuiting the circulation of the liquid and whereby the difierential having the independent chambers and rotors therein together with the sections of the drive shaft may be temporarily relieved from the driv- 5 ing circulating effect of the secondary power generating or circulating organization to permit the drive shaft sections and their rotors to run free, and a pressure regulator having attached communication with they 12o upper portion of said secondary power organization and also having the liquid fully filling the same and under a pressure greater than the pressure of the liquid in the remaining circulating parts of the apparatus to maintain the pressure of the liquid uniform in all the circulating parts of the apparatus and replenish a deficiency of the quantity of the liquid in said circulatingparts 3. A driving mechanism for an automobile 4 and the like comprising a motor having a shaft, a secondary power generating or circulating organization embodying a shiftable pumping element connected to said shaft and upper and lower chambers, a rear drive shaft embodying independently rotatable sections provided with rotors, a difierential having independent chambers in which the rotors on the drive shaft are individually mounted and whereby the said rotors are arranged to directly operate the drive shaft sections, single lines of upper and lower pipes between the chambers of the difi'erentialand the upper and lower chambers of the secondary power generating or circulating organization, shiftable means interposed in the lines of pipes operable while the mechanism is in motion to relieve the rotors directly acting on the sections of the drive shaft of the driving circulating force of the secondary power generating orfcircula't'ing organization, the said organization, pipes, chambers of the differential and short,-cir-' cuiting means being primarily fully filled with a liquid under a predetermined normal pressure, and a pressure regulator attached to and having continuous communication with the upper portion of the said organiza-' tion and also filled with liquid under pressure, the pressure on the liquid in the said regulator being greater than the [normal pressure on the liquid in the remaining parts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM N. ALLAN.

Witnesses: 7

MICHAEL M. MOONEY, HENRY WITZLING. 

